Apparatus for tilting ladles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1;

J. MORGAN, Jr. APPARATUS FOR TILTING LADLES. No. 366,340. Patented July 12, 1887.

PETERS Pholo-trlhognphur, Wilmington, D. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. MORGAN, Jr.

APPARATUS FOR TILTING LADLES.

(No Model.)

No. 366,340. Patented Ju1y.12,-1887-.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

JOSEPH MORGAN, JR., OF JOHNSTOXVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR TILTING LADLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,340, dated July 12, 1887.

Application filed November 1, 1586. Serial No. 217,G5-t. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JosErH MORGAN, Jr., of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and the State of Pe11nsylvania,have invented anew and valuable Improvement in the Apparatus for Handling the Ladles Carrying the Iron or Steel in Steelorks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of the specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an apparatus, first, for holding the ladle securely in its upright position; second, for altering the inclination of the ladle slightly within a limited movement, to center the pouring-nozzle over the molds; third, for turning it slowly to pour the metal out over the side or lip of the ladle; and, fourth, for turning the ladle completely over or through a rotary motion of about one hundred and eighty degrees to dump out the slag, and for performing all these operations with the greatest safety to the men engaged in directing the ladle and with the greatest possible dispatch.

Prior to this invention ladies have been so arranged that the trunnions or axes of rota tion were above the center of gravity of the ladle, in which case the ladle has been tilted from the upright position by a chain attachment operated by a tensile force, or the ladle has been rotated by a worm engaging in a worm-wheel upon the end of the trunnion.

The former arrangement is unsafe because it is not sufficiently positive, and the latter is unsafe because, in case the ladle-crane unexpectedly lowers upon the molds, the wormwheel is disengaged from the worm and the ladle is in danger of being overturned.

By the invention herein described the ladle is held positively in a nearly-upright position, and is rotated at the will of the operator. 1 attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the jib part of a ladle-crane of ordinary construc tion, with a ladle and its improved manipulating apparatus attached, the ladle being shown in its upright position. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of ladle and jib, the ladle being turned as in pouring over the lip. Fig. at is a side elevation of ladle and jib, the ladle being inverted. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the ladle-arm, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same through center of ladle-trunnion and pin a. Fig. 7 is an end view otthc ladle-arm. Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are enlarged views ofdetails 0t latch-bolt.

' Similar letters refer to si inilar parts throughout the several views.

The letter 8 represents the mast of a ladlecrane; treprescnts the jib, and 10 represents the inclined tie-bars connecting mast and jib and supporting the latter.

The ladle a is provided with axes or trunnions b I), resting in bearings upon the jib of the crane in the usual manner. Preferably the axes or trunnions should pass through or near the center of gravity of the full ladle, as this makes the manipulating easier.

0 is a segment of metal of the form shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The trunnion b passes through it, as shown, and it is keyed to the trunnion by key g.

m is a metal plate corresponding in form to the segment 0. This segment 0 and plate at constitute the sides of a triangular box, closed at the top and bottom and open at its curved o outer periphery, the sides of this box 2 being far enough apart to allow free play within it of the lever d. The movable lever (l is pivoted on the ladle-trunnion and moves within the box 2, being operated by means of the rod f, connecting it to the cross-head on the piston-rod g of a hydraulic cylinder and piston, h. The play of this lever cl within the box 5 would be from the box end 0 to thebox endp, and when in position at 0, Fig. 5, a pull (toward the mast) upon it would revolve the box a, and when in position at 12, Fig. 5, a push (from the mast) upon it would revolve the box a. It is obvious, however, that the hori zontal stroke of the rod f will not be sufii cient to effect a sufficient revolution of the box 2 and attachments to turn the ladle over and return it, and therefore the removable pin 6 is used in effecting successive partial revolutions, the lever d pushing against it in an outward thrust when the lever is in position at 0, Fig. 5, and pulling against it in a return-stroke when in position at 1), Fig. 5.

Ordinarily the two relative positions will be sufficient, as shown at Fig. '5. The pin 0 passes through the plate at and into the segment 0, and is an adjustable stop, upon which the lever 01 operates, as described, when desired, and it is carried by suspending'the link It in such a manner that it can readily be so far drawn out as to allow the shifting of lever d within the box 2, and not to detach it wholly from its orifice in the plate m.

The pin 6 may be arranged to pass through the lever d, and this lever and box 2 may have more than two relative positions. '5 is a valve to govern the admission and exit of water to and from either end of the hydraulic cylinder h. This valve is operated by a man standing upon the platform of the crane in the usual manner. A stop-bolt, Z, or latch, (shown in detail in Figs. 8, 9, and 10,) placed upon the jib of ladle-crane, if thrown out, engages the cross-head and limits the motion of the piston in the cylinder h.

In handling the full ladle, when it is desired to use only a small part of the rotary motion for the ordinary use of centering the ladle over the molds in pouring a heat, this bolt Z is thrown out. This latch can be thrown out to engage the cross-head or drawn back to clear it at pleasure of the operator, and a part or a full stroke of the piston be used.

The plate m, the function of which is to prevent lateral play of the lever cl, may be dis pensed with, and in this case I construct the segment a with a rim or flange corresponding to the top and bottom of box z. I prefer, however, to use the plate at. I

The operation is as follows: The ladle being upright, thelever d is fastened so that the piston is at the end of its stroke nearest the ladle, and the latch Z is thrown in to limitthe stroke of the piston. By properly operating the valve z the ladle can be tilted through the small are of rotation sufficient to center the pouringnozzle over the molds in the ordinary opera- 5' tion of pouring through the nozzle, as shown at Fig. 1. If it is desired to pour the metal over the lip of the ladle, the latch Z is drawn back, and a full stroke of the piston away from the ladle will rotate the ladle about ninety degrees, as shown in Fig. 3, and pour out the metal into molds properly placed. After the metal is all poured out it will be necessary to empty the slag out of the ladle. This slag is adhesive and requires the ladle to be inverted. The ladle in pouringhaving been tipped ninety degrees and retained in that position by means of a hinged prop or bar, a, as shown in Fig. 3, &e., the pin e is withdrawn, a return-stroke of piston toward the ladle is made, the pin a is reinserted, fastening the lever d in position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, a stroke of the piston from the ladle is made, and the ladle is thus inverted, as shown in Fig. 4. These operations are all performed in less time and with more safety than by apparatus previously used.

It is obvious that details of connection of arm (2 and box 2 may be varied somewhat from details shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

1. A ladle turning arm consisting of a flanged segment fixed to the ladle'trunnion, and a lever adapted to engage this fixed seg ment and rotate the same, the lever being operated by a hydraulic piston or other power, substantially as described.

2. A ladleturning arm consisting of a box fixed to the ladle-trunnion, and a lever adapted to move within and rotate this fixed box, the lever being operated bya hydraulic piston or other power, substantially as described.

3. Aladle-turningarmconsistingofsegment c, fixed to the ladle-trunnion, and the lever d, adjustable upon segment 0 by means of the movable pin 6 and operated by a hydraulic piston or other power, substantially 'as described.

4:. A ladle-turning arm consisting of box .2, fixed to the ladle-trunnion, and the lever d,a djustable within this box by means of the movable pin e and operated byahydraulic piston or other power, substantially as described.

5. The combination and arrangement of the carrying-link k with the movable pin 6, box 2, and lever d, substantially as described.

6. The lever d, adjusted to engage and turn a box or segment fixed to the trunnion of a casting-ladle, and connected by rod f to the piston-rod of a hydraulic cylinder, the stroke of which is regulated by stop -latch Z, sub

stantiall y as described.

7. The combination and arrangement of a hydraulic cylinder and ladlewith aladle-turnving arm consisting of segment 0, lever d, and

removable pin e, said lever being operated by the connecting-rod f and stop-latch l, substantially as described.

JOSEPH MORGAN, JR. Witnesses:

CYRUS ELDER, SIDNEY POSTLETIIWAITE. 

